Fresh off his second CCHA Coach of the Year honor in 2003-04, Miami head coach Enrico Blasi received a vote of confidence this afternoon the school announced that his contract is being extended through 2009.
“The CCHA is arguably the nation’s best hockey conference, and Rico has done an excellent job keeping Miami among the nation’s elite,” Miami athletic director Brad Bates said. “He and his staff have not only recruited solid hockey players to the program but also have attracted some of the premier student-athletes in the CCHA. This contract extension is a sign of our commitment to Coach Blasi and the hockey program at Miami.”
Blasi, who started his head coaching career at his alma mater five years ago, has won two CCHA Coach of the Year awards and compiled an 89-89-14 record in five seasons. Under his wing, the RedHawks have won at least 20 games in three out of the last four seasons, and last year made their first appearance at the CCHA Super Six since 1998.
Miami made its first NCAA tournament appearance last year since 1996-97 and only its third in program history. In 2003-04, Blasi won the CCHA Coach of the Year award for the second time and moved into second on Miami’s all-time wins list with 89 career victories.
“I’m grateful to Dr. [James] Garland and [Brad] Bates for all their support of our program as well as the support of the University and administration,” Blasi said. “We feel extremely blessed to be at Miami. I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish in five years. Miami is a very special place, and we look forward to continuing our commitment to excellence in the classroom and on the ice.”
A native of Toronto, Ontario, Blasi played for the Wexford Raiders of the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League before coming to Miami where he was a center from 1991-94. He is one of 35 players to score at least 100 career points at Miami with 123 (55-68-12) and was named the team’s Blue Line Club award winner as both a junior and senior. After graduating from Miami in 1994, Blasi went on to serve as an assistant coach at Wexford and Denver.
Blasi’s last contract extension, which went through 2004-05, was signed following the 2000-01 season.
